Button



B. F. HUBBELL.

BuTToN.

APPLICATION F-ILED JUNE 23, 1922'. 19434,@91. Patented Non?, 1922.

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Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

AF, i

yBIE'Nflilllr F. HUBBELL, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSGNO T0 lATENT Blll"I"lON COMPANY, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A COBJ?0.E/ALTOBT` OF CON- i 'NECTICU'IH BUTTON.

Application filed June 23.

\ nnnL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of lllaterbury, in the county of-New flaven-aud State of Connecticut, have made and invented ceitain :newV and useful lmprovements in Buttons, of 'which the following is a specification.

lMy `invention relates to buttons and particularly to flexible orswivel buttons andof the type or style 'which are secured to cloth or `garments bymeans of a metallic fastener. The obje-ct oflny invention is to provide a 'button of thischaracter wherein the head or top `of the button may turn or tilt `with respect to the base, and which turningand tilting action takes place about a central axis or central point. l have found that with swivel or flexible buttons as heretofore constructed the head ofthe button is adapted to twist, turn or tiltabout the base of the button in a more or less unconstrained manner vand ther turning or tilting takes place in a loose way, which oftenleads to the impression that the top or head of the button has been insecurely fastened in place, and, further, the `unrestricted manner `in which the head may move also causes `the buttons to `thefbutton is restricted to a single axis, and,- furthermore.' the joint or `bearing between' Mthe head and the base of the button extends over a considerabley area and the moving parts are in what is termed surface contact `so -as to prevent any wear of the moving parts; and, further, the button head is thus held against rattling and all looseness is` thus avoided and the button vhas every ap` pearance and gives every indication of being t properly and securely, although fllexibly, connected to the base.

A further obj ect is to accomplish the aforementioned ends in a 'simple Vand expeditious manner, so that the bnttonsmay be economi# 1922, Serial No. 579,328.

such-variations and modifications thereof as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates, it being understood thatchanges'may be made within the scope of what is claimed' without Adeparting from the i spirit thereof.

rhe preferred embodiment `of my invention isk disclosed in the accompanying` drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal Vsection of my improved flexible or tilting button;

Figure 2 is a similar view of a buttonalso `embodying the characteristic features of my invention and provided with aclosedtop;

Figure 3 is a view in;longitudinalsection of a further modiiiedform of buttonembodying the characteristic featuresof my invention and provided with a non-metallic or composition body. "t Referring specifically to the several views, wherein similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts lthroughout, myl improved button is formed with a base 10, the same including a substantially fiat lplate 11 `and with the ball-shape'hollowianvil head 12.

The base is provided with the restricted central opening 13 leadinginto the hollow anvil 12. rEhe base is adapted tobe secured to the cloth or garment 14 `bythe `customary tack fastener 15, preferably driven through'the' garment `material 14 by means of `aniautomatic button attaching machine and with the lupper pronged end'suitablyheaded 'or curled as at 16 within the hollow ballshape anvil l2. v Abutton top or head 17 isy formed with Althe' downwardly extending open vball-shape socket 18, which extends around'and engages the ball anvil l2`of the base, the side walls of the socket 18 being compressed or spundown upon the ball. anvil of the base in any suit able manner so that after the ball 12 has thus 'been seated and secured within the socket 18 the button top 17 will be mounted for rey y stricted tilting and turning about'the center of the ball 12` and with thehcad thusrestricted tomovem'ent about singlelpoint or axis thewear upon the contacting surfaces will be uniform and the button will perform eliicient service over an extended period of time; and, further, the head will thus be prevented from rattling and miscellaneous turning and twisting and will accordingly have the appearance of being properly fastened and secured in place and that the movements of the head are as designed and not the result of an improperly secured or imperfectly formed button. The top 17 is provided with the central opening 19, so that the upper die of the button fastening machine (not shown) may rest down upon the ball head 12 and thus prevent the latter from becoming distorted or bent as the prong of the tack fastener 15 is upset therein.

In Figure 2 of the drawing I have illustrated a closed-top button embodying the characteristic features of my invention and wherein the head of the button'is formed with the flange 20, die 21 and top 22, the flange 20 and top 22 surrounding and securing the die 21 therebetween. The flange 2O is provided with the downwardly extending hub 23 which is shaped and formed as a ball socket and encompasses and encloses the ball anvil 24 of the button base 25. The tack fastener 26 extends through the garment material and rigidly secures the base of the button inplace. The socket 23 is somewhat modified so as to include the upper cylindrical .portion 27, and the die 21 is spaced a slight distance from the top 28 of the ball anvil, so that a limited amount of vertical play is provided for the button top. The lower portion of the ball socket 23, however, restrains the turning and tilting motion of the button and thus provides for the surface contact of the relatively moving parts and also-prevents any undue rattling or apparently loose connection between the button base and button head.

The further modified form of my invention illustrated in Figure 3 comprehends the use of a button having a non-metallic or composition top and to this end I have provided a metallic holder 29 which is provided with a ball socket portion 30 which is spun or bent around so as to encompass and effect a proper bearing with the ball anvil 31 of the button base 32. The button base as heretofore described is secured tothe garment material by a suitable tack fastener 33 which has been headed or upset within the ball anvil of the base. The holding member 29, in addition to including the socket 30, is provided with an upwardly ext-ending flange 31 which receives and supports the composition button head 32 thereon, and the head is properly secured upon the flange 31 by overturning the rim 33 of the holding meniber down upon the upper wall or surface of the button head 32 and thus securely binding the composition material in place upon the holding member. The holding member is provided with the open hub 34, allowing the die of the button attaching machine (not shown) to pass down therethrough and contact with the upper extremity of the ball anvil of the base and thus provide for the proper upsetting of the prong of the fastener therein.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a button which may be economically produced in large quantities and at the same time will be so constructed that the head may turn and tilt to thus facilitate the passage of the head through the usual type of buttonhole; further, will accommodate itself to the direction of pull, and being constrained in its movements will be prevented from rattling and free from all appearance of looseness.

IIaving thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A button comprising a base, means for attaching the same in place, a button top or head, and a ball and socket swivel connection between said button head and base and providing for the relative turning and rotating of the same. v

2. A button of the character described comprising a base provided with a hollow ball adapted to receive a metallic fastener therein for the securement of the base to a garment or other material, a button head provided with a hub formed as a socket eX- tending around and engaging the said ball and effecting a ball and socket joint between said base and head and providing forthe relative turning and rotating of the same.

3. A button of the character described comprising a base with a hollow ball carried thereby and having an opening leading into said ball 'through the bottom of said base, means for securing said base to a garment or other material, a button head having a hub, the side walls thereof in surface contact with the walls of said'ball and preventing the detachment of the head from said base, the side walls of the hub and the walls of said 'ball providing for the turning of the two about a central point and holding the two against relative translation and rattling.

Signed at lVaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, this 2O day of June1 A. D. 1922.

BENJAMIN F. HUBBELL.

vWitnesses:

E. II. SCHWARTZ, A. O. SQUIRns. 

